Subsidised theatre performances must be explored as industry waits for ‘moonshot’, says Bectu

Prime Minster Boris Johnson has announced new restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19 as well as hopes for a new testing regime, ‘Operation Moonshot’.

During the press conference he said he was still hopeful that theatres could return to some normality by Christmas.

Bectu national secretary Noel McClean said: “Theatres have been relying on government promises about reopening dates for months, and now it seems there will be another delay until the new rapid testing system is fully operational before they can reopen.

“With thousands of theatre jobs already lost, and potentially more to come, it is not good enough to pin everything on an idea that the Prime Minister admits is a ‘moonshot’.

“This underlines the need for the furlough scheme and Self-employment Income Support Scheme to be extended until Spring 2021 for workers in the arts.

“We also need guarantees that theatres will be first in line when these new tests are available, and that government will explore subsidising socially distanced performances in the interim to save jobs and ensure that there are theatres left to return to.”